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Development permits
- Development permit application
- Development permit extension or renewal application
- Application for a minor amendment to a development permit
- Outright development / building permit application form (1 and 2 family)
Building permits and development-building permits (combined permits)
- Building permit application form
- Outright development / building permit application form (1 and 2 family)
- Pre-application for Engineering Services (for applications for 1 and 2 family dwellings only) (64 KB)
- Building permit data sheet (2007 Building Bylaw)
- Building permit data sheet (2014 Building Bylaw)
Letters of undertaking for building permits
- Schedule E1 – Owner's Undertaking Letter
- Schedule E2 – Owner's Undertaking Letter for tenant improvements
- Schedule E3 – Tenant's Undertaking Letter for tenant improvements
Erosion and sediment control for building permits
- Erosion and sediment control for large lot developments (Bulletin 2002-003-EV) (200 KB)
- For sites 1,000 m² or more, or that have an excavation depth 1 storey or more
- Building permit applications need an erosion and sediment control plan and monitoring report
- Erosion and sediment control for small lot developments (Bulletin 2002-002-EV) (600 KB)
- For sites less than 1,000 m² and that have an excavation depth less than 1 storey
- Projects need to follow best management practices for erosion and sediment control
Site profiles (to identify potential contaminated sites) for development permits, demolition permits, rezoning applications, and subdivision applications
- Development permit application
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Choose the checklists that apply to your project, building type, and property's zoning.
All building types
- Building envelope repairs
- Building permit application checklist
- Development permit minor amendment checklist
- Development permit major application checklist
- Pre-loading checklist
Commercial or industrial
- Change of use (main application)
- Change of use (childcare centre in an existing building)
- Change of use (existing building requiring major upgrading)
- Commercial and industrial buildings
- Demolition of commercial or industrial buildings
- Farmers' markets
- K1 - Restaurant or kitchen exhaust systems
- K2 - Kitchen ventilation details checklist
- K3 - Commitment to not create grease-laden cooking vapours
- Operational letter requirements
- Outdoor patio seating (at grade, open, and uncovered) for an existing restaurant or retail limited food service
- Painted or inscribed murals
- Soil remediation
- Solar hot water heating systems retrofitting checklist (multi-family or commercial)
- Tenant Improvement Permit [TIPS] checklist
Residential
All residential
- Balcony enclosure on existing buildings
- Field review permit applications
- Guide for residential fences, arbours & trellises
- In-ground swimming pools
- Overheight fences, arbours, etc., in residential zones
1-family and 2-family
- 1-family and 2-family (all zones) - Outright Application
- 1-family and 2-family (RS-1A, RS-1B, RS-2, RS-4) - Conditional Application
- 1-family dwelling (RS-1, RS-6, RS-7) - Conditional Application
- 1-family dwelling (RS-3, RS-3A, RS-5) - Conditional Application
- Addition / renovation checklist (RS zones)
- Amending subdivision categories in RS districts
- Converting basements to crawl spaces
- Decks (RS Zones)
- Demolition permits
- Demolition of 1-family and 2-family dwellings
- First Shaughnessy
- New home energy checklists - low rise up to 3 storeys
- GHG Calculator for large homes
- FSR exclusion calculator for 1-family and 2-family dwellings
- Garages and carports
- Laneway house (applicable RS zones)
- RA-1 district
- Sample drawings package
- Solar hot water heating systems retrofitting checklist (1-family and 2-family)
Multi-family
- Building envelope repairs
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After your building or development permit is issued, apply for trades permits for work on specific building systems (plumbing, electrical, and so on). You may also need forms to:
- Report hazardous materials in a demolition
- Apply to demolish a rental property
- Revise existing permits
- Change your building's address
- Transfer density to protect heritage resource
- Apply for a sign permit
Trades permit applications
- Electrical permit application
- Fire sprinkler permit application
- Owner's information certificate
- Gas permit application
- Homeowner’s declaration - Gas
- Homeowner’s declaration - Plumbing
- Noise bylaw exception application
- Plumbing permit application
Other forms you may need
- Building address change request
- Demolition of rental property application form
- Hazardous materials form
- Qualified professional declaration form for salvage and abatement
- Revision application form - existing buildings
- Revision application form - new 1 or 2 family dwellings
Transfer of heritage density for development applications
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Are you an engineer, architect, or other building-industry professional that isn't an active member of the City's Certified Professional Program? You may need forms in this section.
Letters of Assurance (for architects and engineers)
- Schedule A (150 KB)
- Schedule B (180 KB) - revision effective January 1, 2018
- Schedule C-A (120 KB) - revision effective January 1, 2018
- Schedule C-B (120 KB)
- Schedule D-1 (120 KB)
- Schedule D-2 (100 KB)
ASHRAE, NECB, and EB Energy Trigger forms for large buildings
- Process forms, checklists, and tutorials for the energy requirements for Part 3 and Part 9 non-residential buildings
- Alterations projects webpage (Field Review)
Other forms for industry professionals
- Schedule A
Construction related bylaws
Construction and renovation work is regulated by local bylaws and guidelines, and provincial regulations.
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Bulletins
We issue bulletins and advisories to interpret building, electrical, and trades bylaws, and to explain building, technical, and administrative regulations and processes.
Some bulletins are under more than one section because they apply to multiple bylaws.
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Number and date Title 2017-003
Issued April 12, 2017Construction fire safety plans PDF file (803 KB) -
Number and date Title 2010-002
Revised July 29, 2010Clarification for cancelling inspections for building, electrical, plumbing, gas, sprinklers, and sewer PDF file (53 KB) 2001-009
Issued April 19, 2007Gas permits PDF file (53 KB) -
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Listed alphabetically by bulletin title.
Number Title 2008-008-EL Application of rule 76-016 in conjunction with implementation of “Assured Grounding Program” on a construction site 2011-005-BU/AD ASHRAE 90.1 - 2007 (Building permit documentation requirements) 2001-003-BU/EL Audible system devices in dwelling units 2008-002-BU/EL Automatic emergency recall of elevators 2003-003-EL Bonding of a metal water piping system installed in a building (re: rule 10-406(2) of the CEC, part 1) 2008-003-BU Building Bylaw amendments for green homes 2001-016-AD/BU Building Bylaw enquiries and requests for interpretation 2003-010-BU Building Bylaw guidelines for fire fighting provisions 2001-006-BU Certified professional program - new permit process 2003-007-BU Certified professional program - new permit process 2001-015-BU Change of use requirements for language and business schools 2007-008-EL Clarification of rule 14-406 of the 20th edition of the CEC adopted for use in BC 2007-002-EL Clarification of rule 2-306 in the 20th edition of the CE Code adopted for use in BC 2007-001-EL Clarification of rule 30-308(4) of the 20th edition of the CEC adopted for use in BC 2007-007-BU/EL Clarification of the VBBL requirements for carbon monoxide alarms 2003-016-EL Clearances from the existing BC Hydro high voltage overhead conductors and transformers 2001-004-BU/EL Criteria for electro-magnetic lock equivalencies 2007-010-EL Disconnecting means and overcurrent protection for a fire pump 2011-002-BU/EL Electric vehicle charging infrastructure for multi-family dwellings 2004-001-EL/BU Electrical supervision of fire alarm system devices and signal to a central station and fire department 2015-004-BU/EL Electrical vehicle charging for buildings 2006-003-BU/SP Exposure protection for exits and exit routes 2008-009-AD/BU Flood proofing policies 2009-006-AD/BU Generic alternative solutions for the 2010 Winter Games 2004-011-BU Green building products 2003-001-AD/BU Guidelines for seismic evaluation of one- and two-family dwellings 2007-009-AD Inspection services carried out by others during labour dispute 2009-011-AD Installation of temporary tents over existing permitted patio seating and temporary tents on City property during the Olympic Games period 2004-013-BU Insulated concrete form (ICF) applications 2010-001-AD Licensing and inspection services during 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games 2008-004-BU New energy utilization requirements for part 3 buildings 2003-012-AD New rates for the Vancouver Development Cost Levy 2004-007-BU/EL/PL New “suite ready” one-family dwellings 2004-005-BU New upgrade triggers for existing buildings 2006-001-BU Next edition of the Vancouver Building Bylaw and use of 2005 National Building Code for generic equivalencies 2001-012-BU Parking spaces for persons with disablities 2004-002-EL Permits for temporary power service connection 2009-010-AD Permitting for temporary structures related to the Olympic Games 2007-004-BU Rain screen design for one- and two-family dwellings 2003-009-BU/EL Requirements for verification of fire alarm systems 2001-001-EV Residential underground storage tank removal 2001-002-AD Revised request for minor relaxations and equivalency forms 2002-010-BU Revision to the Vancouver Building Bylaw 2003-005-BU Safety glass In part 9 buildings 2004-006-BU/EL Secondary suites in existing one-family dwellings 2001-011-BU Seismic design of one and two-family dwellings 2004-014-BU Seismic restraint of non-structural components 2004-012-BU Sheathing inspections for one- and two-family buildings 2004-004-BU Spray-in-place thermal insulation 2001-014-SP Sprinkler advisory - Voluntary sprinkler replacement of “o”-ring style sprinklers 2012-002-BU/AD Sprinkler permit data sheet 2014-008-BU The use of spray foam insulation in lieu of venting roof spaces 2004-008-BU Update of the Energy Utilization Bylaw 2003-006-BU Upgrading of one- and two-family dwellings 2014-009-BU Vancouver's 2014 Building Bylaw (online version is now available) 2003-015-BU VBBL changes to balcony sprinklers 2006-004-BU/EL Voluntary upgrade of existing fire alarm systems in buildings 2003-011-BU Washrooms in mercantile, limited food retail and restaurants 2002-005-BU/SP Zoning standpipe systems
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